2026 Four Continents Championships Pairs Free Skate

[Tutto]

Chris schould be forcufully muted when he say S/H names

He should be forcibly muted full stop

 

[skylark]

He should be forcibly muted full stop

Hard disagree. Sorry, not sorry.

After listening to Tara L. talk and talk over the skaters' music, about nothing basically, I was and am so grateful to hear Chris's commentary. He keeps it short, informative and relevant. And always finds something positive to say about each team.

 

[TontoK]

I think they would have done if they didn't have the reputation. They were given the highest PCS and I am not sure it was deserved.

It was not deserved. That was slow and tentative, like they were feeling their way through the program. Jackie Wong posted their protocol, and they got excellent GOE on some very sub-par elements.

The judges had their thumb on the scale, but there's only so much they can do.

Edit: If this exact same program had been delivered by, say, the third Canadian pair, then I bet those protocols would have looked a whole lot different.

 

[slider11]

I love Sui and Han but this was hard to watch-like old warriors still trying to win a difficult battle. They look strained and tentative - and in pain. Better to leave the party 5 min too early then stay 1 minute too late!

 

[discodisco]

A few thoughts:

Nice to see Kelly-Ann and Loucas rewarded for the quality of their program- she looks surprised to see such a high score, but I think the judges are starting to reward their positive growth with that program internationally terms of PCS. I love the program and think it has so many interesting choreographic Highlights - I think they should keep it for next year and then tidy up the things that are holding them back - obviously posture is an area for improvement overall, but also a little things like improving levels on the death spiral and lift and things like that. If they can bump those areas up a little bit, I'd say this is a 130 plus quality free skate if skated clean, maybe even 135 by the end of the season if they can tidy those things up. I mean, they got 123 with two noticeable errors here...

Without doubt my new favorite lift (entry) is by Zhang and Huang with that rotating cartwheel star thing into the lift. How absolutely stunning- it gives an absolutely beautiful aesthetic with the horizontal, diagonal and vertical movement. Delightful.

The top American pair is obviously very skilled and has a lot of finesse in many areas - I just did I'm just not a fan of this program that everybody else raves about. Perhaps it's the inevitable comparisons to Sale and Pelletier and their iconic program to love story... but I just think it's too heavy overall and I don't feel the connection. But I could very much be wrong as I seem to be in the minority I'm also not impressed with the short program so I suppose it's possible that there's just a little bit of national bias creeping in as well LOL.

In contrast, love Japanese team number two. Love their speed, attack and flow - of course it can get ragged at times, but I just love their joi de vivre and beautiful edges. I don't think the free program is as stellar as their short, - it's very 'one note' musically, and I definitely think they deserve a better free program next year - but they have definitely been a revelation season.

Woth Sui and Han - She didn't look 100% at this competition, and I don't just mean with regard to the obvious errors. Whereas I would have said she looked sharper than him at the beginning of the year, it looked like something was off at this competition - she appeared winded, especially after the short program, as if she was injured or under the weather or something. They are definitely not pulling the high scores of the past, and things looked a bit forced... he looked concerned for her after both programs, and she seemed to be favoring her hip...

 

[discodisco]

My two cents:

Kelly-Ann & Loucas – Great to see them rewarded. She looked surprised by the score, but the judges are clearly recognizing their international PCS growth. The program has strong choreographic highlights and is worth keeping next season. Main fixes: overall posture and small tech details (death spiral and lift levels). Clean, this could be a mid-130s program by season’s end if they can tidy those things up. They hit 123 here with two visible errors.

Zhang & Huang – My new favourite lift entry. That rotating cartwheel/star entry is stunning, with beautiful horizontal, diagonal, and vertical movement. Genuinely delightful.

Top U.S. pair – Undeniably skilled and refined, but I don’t connect with this program despite the hype. The Love Story comparisons don’t help—it feels heavy and emotionally distant to me. I’m also not sold on the short either, so some national bias in the scoring may be creeping in. Congrats on the win.

Japanese team #2 – Love them. Speed, attack, flow, joy, and gorgeous edges. It can get a bit ragged, but their joie de vivre is infectious. The free isn’t as strong as the short—too musically one-note—and they deserve a better FS next year. Still a real revelation this season.

Sui & Han – She didn’t look 100%. Beyond the errors, she seemed winded, possibly injured or unwell, and appeared to favor her hip. He looked concerned after both programs. They’re no longer pulling past peak scores, and things felt forced. Slightly underscored in the short, but clearly overmarked in the free—the program just wasn’t that good.

 

[labgoat]

OH MY GOD WHY HAS NO ONE CORRECTED CHRIS ON HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE NAMES OF THE REIGNING OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS

it is not "Wenjing Soo and Kong Hand". It's "Wenjing Swee and Hahn Song". The announcers literally just said their name correctly. In the pairs short, Chris initially mispronounced Balazs's name, but after hearing how PJ Kwong (aka the GOAT) pronounced his name, he fixed his pronounciation. SO WHY CAN'T HE DO THAT FOR THE REIGNING OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS? it doesn't have to be perfect just please put the soft "c" on Cong Han's name

I have been wondering that too. PJ is known for her attention to detail. Chris should be able to just mimic her - I wouldn't mind if he copied her

 

[labgoat]

Alisa and Misha are really going for it today.

that's the skate they wanted at US Nationals

 

[withwings]

I had not yet a chance to watch all competition, all pairs; so had a glimpse/watched only 3rd group. Oh, I really do feel sorry for Shin/Nagy.... Yes, they both ARE talented and have a great potential. Also, what one can expect after Shin has been a pair girl...is not it less than 2years? or already 2 years? anyway, its a short time and she truly has done a huge progress but...they are missing something... I dare to think that Meagan might not the right coach for them. She is perfect as a technical coach with undeniable ability to do a great analysis and etc. but when it comes to find that tiny miraculous psychological encouragement which opens doors for the performance... maybe she is not the one. Hopefully she is not the only one in their coaching team. Balaz skated... like doing his job, like tired, not really there. But this only one competition. Wish them to succeed and really, really enjoy skating and to get many medals in future.
Loved Canadian pair of Kelly-Ann and Lucas. This pair truly made a progress. Kelly-Ann is an amazing pair girl and her performance quality is excellent. The same for Lucas. Bravo Canadians!

 

[withwings]

A few thoughts:

Nice to see Kelly-Ann and Loucas rewarded for the quality of their program- she looks surprised to see such a high score, but I think the judges are starting to reward their positive growth with that program internationally terms of PCS. I love the program and think it has so many interesting choreographic Highlights - I think they should keep it for next year and then tidy up the things that are holding them back - obviously posture is an area for improvement overall, but also a little things like improving levels on the death spiral and lift and things like that. If they can bump those areas up a little bit, I'd say this is a 130 plus quality free skate if skated clean, maybe even 135 by the end of the season if they can tidy those things up. I mean, they got 123 with two noticeable errors here...

Without doubt my new favorite lift (entry) is by Zhang and Huang with that rotating cartwheel star thing into the lift. How absolutely stunning- it gives an absolutely beautiful aesthetic with the horizontal, diagonal and vertical movement. Delightful.

The top American pair is obviously very skilled and has a lot of finesse in many areas - I just did I'm just not a fan of this program that everybody else raves about. Perhaps it's the inevitable comparisons to Sale and Pelletier and their iconic program to love story... but I just think it's too heavy overall and I don't feel the connection. But I could very much be wrong as I seem to be in the minority I'm also not impressed with the short program so I suppose it's possible that there's just a little bit of national bias creeping in as well LOL.

In contrast, love Japanese team number two. Love their speed, attack and flow - of course it can get ragged at times, but I just love their joi de vivre and beautiful edges. I don't think the free program is as stellar as their short, - it's very 'one note' musically, and I definitely think they deserve a better free program next year - but they have definitely been a revelation season.

Woth Sui and Han - She didn't look 100% at this competition, and I don't just mean with regard to the obvious errors. Whereas I would have said she looked sharper than him at the beginning of the year, it looked like something was off at this competition - she appeared winded, especially after the short program, as if she was injured or under the weather or something. They are definitely not pulling the high scores of the past, and things looked a bit forced... he looked concerned for her after both programs, and she seemed to be favoring her hip...

The same here, I totally agree about American top pair. I do feel the same-cannot feel the connection and I am not impressed by their short either and I am not Canadian.

 

[Jammers]

Between S/H the Shibs and Keegan coming back in the Olympic year it begs the question why? Maybe they had their reasons but no way were any of them going to be near what they used to be without giving themselves at least a year to get back to competing before the Olympic year like V/M did in 2017.

 

[RatedPG]

I just finished watching.
Yikes!!
Even when S/H landed the throw jump, during warm up, she was grimacing in pain. I really don’t think she is going to make it intact for Team event and single event. At this event, her injury makes her skate cautiously and the jumps, especially the 3S mid way through the program will be difficult for her. I think there is a 50/50 chance S/H even compete at the Olympics.

 

[noskates]

You can criticize how Chris pronounces names but give a thought to all the names he and other commentators have to learn before these competitions. It can't be easy. Some of them have every difficult letter in the alphabet. Try it yourself sometime.

 

[FlossieH]

This last month has been such a strange time for the top pairs.

Conti and Macii injured after their nationals and withdrawing from Europeans.
Muira and Kihara withdrawing after the short from their national championships.
Stellato-Dudek and Duchamps losing their national title.
Golubeva and Giotopoulos Moore restricted from competing b/c of her residency requirements.
Efimova and Mitrofanov unable to skate at the Olympics but winning Four Continents.
Fabienne Hase and Volodin having such an error ridden Europeans and losing to Metelkina and Berulava.

And of course Sui and Han this week.

If you ask me who will medal in in Italy, it is too hard to call right now.

Conti was barely injured. Some of our Italian members said that the translation was poor and she only needed a couple of days off the ice. They could have done Europeans if they wanted to but are saving themselves for something 'special' at the Olympics.

 

[FlossieH]

I just finished watching.
Yikes!!
Even when S/H landed the throw jump, during warm up, she was grimacing in pain. I really don’t think she is going to make it intact for Team event and single event. At this event, her injury makes her skate cautiously and the jumps, especially the 3S mid way through the program will be difficult for her. I think there is a 50/50 chance S/H even compete at the Olympics.

I don't think Sui is fit for the Olympics, but I fully expect them to be sent. The Chinese Fed has brought them back to get the gold medal. In the past, Chinese skaters have been expected to carry on competing regardless of illness or injury - just think back to Yudong Chen and Ruotang Li on the JGP the other year.

 

[Tutto]

Delighted for Alisa/Misha! They so deserved some cheering after disappointment over Olympics. GOEs were on the stingy side, the judges obviously were making some room for S/H but in the end they won fair and square. I could see Alisa was mad at herself for a mistake on 3T , understandably, but it was the first time they did a good sequence with two double axels and got positive GOEs! Sadly swallowed by a time violation deduction (didn’t see it coming?)
Sad for S/H struggles hope she will be ok.
And really impressed with young Japanese team, I dare say their SS are better than M/K -they have more flow and just as much speed - very impressive.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Hard disagree. Sorry, not sorry.

After listening to Tara L. talk and talk over the skaters' music, about nothing basically, I was and am so grateful to hear Chris's commentary. He keeps it short, informative and relevant. And always finds something positive to say about each team.

Love the Eurosport / ISU feed for the reasons you mention.

The commentators including Chris Howarth, Mark Hanretty, Tonia Kwaitkowski and Ted Barton are always so supportive. Both in triumph and defeat. They've been through it themselves and know the sacrifices it takes to get to the highest level first-hand.

Much as i liked Tara and Johnny as skaters, they seem to make it far too much about themselves. It all gets a bit affected, and the constant blah blah feels like I am watching through a thick layer of bubble wrap. At times I can't even hear what they athletes are skating to because of their annoying chatter, and without music what's the point!

Commentary is an art which unfortunately, they just don't seem to have mastered. Less is more.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Delighted for Alisa/Misha! They so deserved some cheering after disappointment over Olympics. GOEs were on the stingy side, the judges obviously were making some room for S/H but in the end they won fair and square. I could see Alisa was mad at herself for a mistake on 3T , understandably, but it was the first time they did a good sequence with two double axels and got positive GOEs! Sadly swallowed by a time violation deduction (didn’t see it coming?)
Sad for S/H struggles hope she will be ok.
And really impressed with young Japanese team, I dare say their SS are better than M/K -they have more flow and just as much speed - very impressive.

Loved the Japanese. In spite of the errors, they have future world medallists stamped all over them. They have come such a long way in their short time together.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Conti was barely injured. Some of our Italian members said that the translation was poor and she only needed a couple of days off the ice. They could have done Europeans if they wanted to but are saving themselves for something 'special' at the Olympics.

That is a relief to hear.

 

[essence_of_soy]

You can criticize how Chris pronounces names but give a thought to all the names he and other commentators have to learn before these competitions. It can't be easy. Some of them have every difficult letter in the alphabet. Try it yourself sometime.

How they are able to get through some of those fifty - syllable European names (and weave it into flowing commentary) is hard. I can barely get through a simple sentence in conversation myself!